Local prison remodel project wins Ty Pennington contest

Project remodeling closed prison wins $50,000 and Ty Pennington’s help for a day

Haywood County Sherriff Greg Christopher poses for a portrait at the old Hazelwood state prison site in Waynesville. Christopher has led an effort to convert the old prison into a halfway house/ homeless shelter and kitchen. The cause is in the running for a national grant from Ty Pennington, which would lead to $50,000 for the project and a television appearance.
-7-11-14 Colby Rabon (colbyrabon@gmail.com)(Photo: Colby Rabon)

WAYNESVILLE – The Haywood County Pathways Center project, an initiative to turn an old Waynesville prison into a halfway house and homeless shelter, has won a national contest featuring a day with Ultimate Home Makeover star Ty Pennington and $50,000.

More than 3,000 Facebook likes earned the project a spot among six finalists for the "Guaranteed Rate/Ty Pennington Ultimate Neighborhood Giveback Challenge," which will award the winner $50,000 toward the completion of the project and Pennington's help for a day.

The project will recycle and restore the old Hazelwood prison, converting the facility into a soup kitchen, homeless shelter and halfway house.

Haywood County Sheriff Greg Christopher has led the charge, along with the Rev. Nick Honerkamp, founder and director of Haywood Christian Emergency Center.

“I’m super excited to be planning a trip to North Carolina to help the Haywood Christian Emergency Shelter get to work on this great project,” Pennington said in a statement Friday. “It’s been an overwhelming experience to be a part of the first Ultimate Neighborhood Give Back Challenge. To see all of the amazing work that’s being done by community organizations from coast to coast is truly inspiring, and I encourage everyone to visit the full list of the top 50 projects submitted and find one in their area to support.”

Organizers with the contest said they hope to set a time for Pennington’s visit within the next week or so.

The finalists were chosen from among the top 50 semifinalists announced in June, and advanced out of 322 entries received from 49 states.

“The remodeling of the former prison in Haywood County was the project that the judges felt best met the criteria of having the biggest positive impact on their community along with a highly organized and detailed plan to get the project done, as well as winning all three rounds of voting,” said Victor Ciardelli, president and CEO of Guaranteed Rate.

“Winning this grand prize is going to allow us to change the landscape of care in Western North Carolina,” said Honerkamp, president of Haywood Christian Emergency Shelter. “We’re so grateful to partner with Guaranteed Rate and Ty Pennington to help tell our story of how government and non-profits can work together to solve social problems in an innovative way.”

Three years ago, the local Department of Correction minimum-security prison was closed as a cost-saving measure, and Haywood County Commissioners purchased it from the state, anticipating the need to house more inmates.

Christopher approached county leaders with the idea of a halfway house and shelter facility, after years of seeing inmates with no plans for the future and few resources to make them upon their release.

Christopher said there are no halfway houses, or any sort of transitional housing for inmates in the county now. There is only one shelter, the Haywood Christian Emergency Shelter, which is only open only at night from Nov. 1 to April 30.

"The need here is great, no question," Christopher said. "So the opportunity is huge."

The new facility will house at least 120 people, and include a kitchen program to feed and train residents.

The Open Door Soup Kitchen in Waynesville has agreed to start the new soup kitchen at the old prison kitchen, open to residents and the community.

Honerkamp said the project is also in talks with Goodwill and other area nonprofits to have job training opportunities ready for residents.

GET INVOLVED

To learn more about the project and to learn how you can help, visit the Haywood Pathways Center Facebook page or call the Haywood County Sherrff's office at 452-6768.

The project needs donations and volunteers for skilled and unskilled labor.